Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Immune function in autistic children.

Lara Stern1, Marie-Josée Francoeur, Marie-Noel Primeau

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, McGill University Health Center-Montreal Children's Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology : Official Publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology
|January 13, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Most autistic children exhibit normal immune function, indicating routine immunologic testing is generally unnecessary. Investigations should be reserved for cases with a history of recurrent infections.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Epilepsy in autism spectrum disorder: examining prevalence and associated factors in a large cross-sectional study.

Journal of neurodevelopmental disorders·2026
Same author

Parent Perspectives on Mobile Health Autism Screeners.

Journal of autism and developmental disorders·2026
Same author

Autism Overdiagnosis and Its Harmful Effects.

JAMA pediatrics·2026
Same author

Exploring the Association Between Parental Age and Autism Spectrum Disorder Risk in Qatar.

Journal of autism and developmental disorders·2026
Same author

Autoclaved Peanuts Exhibit Reduced Immunoglobulin E Binding and Improved Oral Tolerability.

Allergy·2026
Same author

Preliminary Efficacy of Telehealth Family Navigation for Early Autism Services Access.

Journal of autism and developmental disorders·2025

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder

Background:

  • Conflicting reports exist regarding immune system abnormalities in children with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD).
  • Limited and inconsistent data necessitate further investigation into the proposed association between ASD and immune dysfunction.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To prospectively evaluate the immune function in a cohort of autistic children.
  • To investigate the potential link between autistic spectrum disorder and immune system anomalies.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective data collection from 24 autistic children referred to an immunology clinic.
  • Assessment of clinical history, immunoglobulin levels, specific antibody titers, T- and B-cell counts, T-cell proliferation, and complement studies.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Most autistic children demonstrated normal immune function, including T-cell function and complement levels.
  • Only two patients had abnormal immunoglobulin levels, with one diagnosed with common variable immune deficiency.
  • Low antibody titers were observed in 12 patients, primarily due to incomplete vaccination status.

Conclusions:

  • The majority of autistic children studied presented with normal immune function.
  • Routine immunologic investigations are not recommended for most autistic children.
  • Immunologic assessment should be considered selectively for autistic children with a history suggestive of recurrent infections.